The North P&I Club informed that Egypt issued guidelines concerning the coronavirus pandemic, providing information and news on the port developments and guidelines that have been implemented.
March 17:
Specifically, it is reported that disinfection is carried out by the state Quarantine Department at the ports, while the authorities advise that all have to keep minimum contact and use PPE, according to the advice issued by the World Health Organization.
Under the possibility that a crew/passenger/suspect case is acknowledged, crew is disembarked, ship disinfected, all returned on board and ship allowed to enter port.In cases with 2 or more sick crewmembers, vessel is to remain at roads in quarantine.
The reported risk areas have been widened to include Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, South Korea, Singapore, Iran, Italy, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Germany, France, Switzerland, Spain and Thailand.
All vessels arriving for Suez Canal Transit and/or entering Egyptian Ports will be subject to the examination by the Medical Quarantine. Special attention will be given to those vessels coming from Chinese ports and/or any other hot spots. If any crew members are suspected of being infected or any actual case is detected, the vessel will be held from transiting the Canal or entering the ports.
Moreover, the personnel dealing with the vessels above, including but not limited to; pilots, agencies, mooring crew, etc.) will be recorded by the Medical quarantine, and will have a permit to board (confirming that they are free from inspection, it is also possible that they will be further examined/monitored upon disembarking.
For the time being, there have been no reports of disruption to shipping through the Suez Canal.
The east side of Port Said is closed, while the west side remains open with limited operations.
The port of Alexandria is only accepting vessels to discharge cargoes and the port of Damietta is restricted to container ship activity only. Surveyors have not been told of any restrictions imposed on boarding vessels to carry out surveys.
18 March:
The Alexandria Port Authority (APA) instructed all agents that fumigation and cleaning operations will be conducted upon a vessel’s arrival/berth for all the cargo and containers. It is forbidden to deal with cargo or containers unless such fumigating and cleaning operations are done by the authority and a certificate issued.
All agents have been instructed to notify the health authorities if there is any intention to sign on or sign off of any crew in the ports of Alexandria, Dekheila or Abu Qir in relation to any crew from the following countries :
- China,
- Taiwan,
- Japan
- Malaysia
- Vietnam,
- South Korea,
- Singapore,
- Iran,
- Italy,
- Kuwait,
- Bahrain,
- Germany,
- France,
- Switzerland,
- Spain,
- Thailand.
All vessels calling Egyptian waters to provide the following documents, together with relevant entrance application, prior to the vessel’s entry and berthing at the port:
- Crew list
- Passenger list (tourism)
- List 10 port of call list
- Narcotics list
- Maritime declaration of health
- Vaccination list
As of 19 March, it was reported that so far, the effect on the shipping industry in Egypt is still minimal.
